Kent State international students got together to play games and make friends Friday at an event held by the International Student Council in the Governance Chambers.

During the event, Samory Uiki, a junior international relations major and the president of ISC, spoke about the organization’s past events, such as the International Homecoming Celebration last semester.

“When I went to those events I found that it helps me a lot to make friends,” Nicholas Chai, a sophomore psychology major from Malaysia, said of his time at the meet and greet event.

The organization also hosted Dr. Shay Little, the executive officer for the Division of Student Affairs, as a guest for the night. Dr. Little talked about the school’s plans to build a new College of Business Administration building and the possibility of the old Art Building being used for dining purposes.

According to an ISC newsletter from the event, the organization aims to help to create a home away from home for all international students and to assist them to express and be proud of their culture and where they are from.

International Students come to America to study and to get more experience for their future careers, and they want to make friends and learn about their cultures, the newsletter explained.

Also included in the newsletter were ISC’s plans for this semester to make international students feel at home at Kent State.

“I thought of America as a very first-worldish country, and I thought that it’s (a) place where people can express their thoughts and speeches and how they feel,” Chai said. “After I came here, I realized that America has its own restrictions and its own struggles as well and you can only experience them after you come to America.”

Alissa Reyes is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].